American Preparatory Academy students thank veterans

Former Navy river patrolman Karl Francis had tears in his eyes as hundreds of American Preparatory Academy students sang patriotic songs and then thanked him and about 80 other veterans at the school’s annual Veterans Day program.

“I have never been thanked before,” Francis said. “This is better than all the medals and ribbons I ever got. When I got back from Vietnam, I was spit at. Now I feel the pride of what America really means to me and to these children. This really means something.”

The program, dotted with veterans’ stories, songs about American pride and thankful words from students, was performed Nov. 10 before a packed gymnasium.

Students practiced and rehearsed the program for about one month, music teacher David Leavitt said.

“Our country and patriotism is a big part of who we are,” he said. “At APA, we sing the first and last verses of the national anthem every day.”

Junior high science teacher Craig Hollinger shared his 21 years of Navy experiences, from Japan and Guam to Afghanistan and Iraq. He joined the service after high school.

“Even though I chose my sacrifices when I joined the Navy, my kids didn’t have that choice,” he said.

He pointed out that he missed several important family celebrations and events because he made that sacrifice. Even so, some who survived made greater. He told how one soldier lost his eyesight and still wanted to return to fighting, or how after stepping on a mine, another soldier was rock climbing weeks later to motivate his buddies.

Seventh-grade essay winner Zech Memmott said even though his great-great-uncle Ray survived, Uncle Ray told him his purple heart was not as important as his memories.

Founding Board Chair Howard Headlee said that he likes to celebrate Veterans Day.

“Celebrating Veterans Day sure doesn’t seem as fun as celebrating Christmas, with all the presents, or Easter, and the Easter bunny, or the Fourth of July, and all those fireworks,” Headlee said. “I mean, when I got older, I even started to like Valentine’s Day and after I went off to college, I started to really appreciate all the food at Thanksgiving. But after celebrating a bunch of Christmases and Easters and Fourth of Julys and Thanksgivings, I have learned that without Veterans Day and the veterans we honor today, I wouldn’t be able to celebrate any of those fun holidays.”

He pointed out without these people making sacrifices, they wouldn’t be able to see and do things they do today, from playing sports to choosing what they want their careers to be, since children in other parts of the world still are told where they will love or who they will marry.

Eighth-grader Makayla Miller recognized that in her winning essay: “I enjoy my freedoms because of these veterans.”